Almost Half of The Population of Canada Wants to Try Weed Edibles

Enthusiasm for weed is widespread in Canada. That’s not news to researchers at Dalhousie University. But it was surprising to learn that almost half of all Canadians would like to try edibles when weed becomes legal.

46 percent of Canadians say they would try a cannabis-infused food item if they were commercially available, according to the study.

The study surveyed 1,087 Canadians about their willingness to engage with weed-infused food items. While the 46 percent figure is both unexpected and staggering, the research team uncovered other interesting data. Nearly 40 percent of Canadians are interested in ordering cannabis-infused food from a restaurant, and 20 percent of Canadians feel knowledgeable enough to makes edibles at home.

Despite how far we have come from the fear-mongering of Reefer Madness. Even with all this interest in edibles, it’s expected that no one in Canada’s most populous province will be able to buy them, even when weed becomes legal.

The Ontario government’s plan for dealing with edibles is to pretend they don’t exist. There is no plan at all on how to sell edibles legally. Which means they won’t sell edibles at all, or at least for the foreseeable future.

Since the provincial government rushed their monopoly plan out so quickly, it appears that boardroom politicians didn’t consider the ways that people consume cannabis. Health Canada has pointed out it’s way healthier to consume cannabis orally, rather than smoke it. So currently, the Ontario government’s plan only regulates the most obvious way to consume cannabis. What this means is that the elderly, those with respiratory conditions and newcomers hesitant about inhaling smoke will be effectively left behind.

Since the legalization plans mean the forced closure of dozens of dispensaries that already have robust edible selections, a huge opening will now exist for black market edibles. While this will give consumers access, an edibles black market will create several issues. Since these edibles won’t be made by professionals, the dosage will be a mystery. While cannabis is one of the safest psychoactive substances on the planet, extreme potency or over-consumption some pretty serious responses. Product quality will also decrease as the market is forced back to the days of spongelike weed-brownies baked in college-frat houses. Most concerningly, the black market won’t keep edibles from the mouths of minors.

If the plan was to protect Canadians from their own appetite, this recent study shows that the new legislation will be an utter failure. Supply will rise to meet demand.